System, device, and method for baking a food product

ABSTRACT

Devices, systems, and methods are provided for baking a food product in a portable baking oven. The baking oven includes a main body, lower and upper stones, a heat shield suspending the upper stone above the lower stone, and a heat element emanating heat upward to a rotating flat panel having the lower stone thereon. Convection heat from the heat element moves upward from below the rotating flat panel and past a periphery of the flat panel, channeled by the heat shield to the upper stone, to move along the upper stone, and then down along the heat shield, on the opposite side. With this arrangement, the heat element heats the upper and lower stones with convection heat moving between the lower and upper stones in a side-to-side manner.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/877,899, filed Oct. 7, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 14/184,716, filed Feb. 20, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No.9,182,129, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/767,249, filed Feb. 20, 2013, the contents of each of which areincorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to ovens and, more specifically,the present invention relates to devices, systems, and methods forbaking a food product, such as pizza, in an oven.

BACKGROUND

Commercial brick ovens designed for baking pizza are generally verylarge, stationary and require preheating for long periods due to thehigh temperatures needed for such brick ovens, typically between 600 to1000 degrees Fahrenheit. These brick ovens are typically only found inspecialty restaurants since the cost for such brick ovens can run tensof thousands of dollars. Attempts have repeatedly been made to providespecialty pizza ovens for household use that mimic the taste of a brickoven baked pizza. However, the specialty pizza ovens for household useare still very large and heavy and, as such, generally remain in onelocation at the household. Further, due to the high temperatures needed,these specialty pizza ovens for household use typically require constantattention due to hot spots in the oven or inconsistent temperatures fromabove and below the pizza, causing either the top or bottom of the pizzato burn before other portions are fully baked. Also, the household pizzaovens are still relatively expensive for most to afford, i.e., severalthousands of dollars.

Based on the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide an oven forbaking pizza that is relatively light and readily moveable from onelocation to another, quickly obtains and maintains the high temperaturesthat are desirable for baking pizza, and provides the structuralcharacteristics that facilitate baking pizza at high temperatureswithout burning portions before the pizza is fully baked. It would alsobe advantageous to provide a pizza oven that is affordable for mosthouseholds.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to devices, systems, and methods forbaking a food product. For example, in one embodiment, a baking oven forbaking a food product is provided. The baking oven includes a main body,a heat shield, a rotating member, a motor, first and second stones, anda heat element. The main body includes an upstanding wall extendingalong a front side, a rear side, a first side, and a second side of themain body such that the main body includes an opening defined in thefront side of the main body. The heat shield includes a side wallextending inward from a lower end to an upper end. The lower end extendsfrom at least the first side and the second side of the main body andthe upper end extends to define a ledge. The rotating member includes aflat panel and a shaft. The shaft extends from an underside surface ofthe flat panel and defines an axis along a longitudinal length thereof.The motor includes a drive shaft and the motor is coupled to the mainbody. The drive shaft is coupled to the shaft to rotate the rotatingmember about the axis. The first stone is configured to be positioned onthe flat panel and configured to rotate with the flat panel. The secondstone is configured to be positioned over the ledge of the heat shieldabove the first stone. The heat element is coupled to the main body suchthat the heat element is positioned to emanate heat adjacent the firstside of the main body and below the flat panel. The heat elementprovides convection heat to move upward from the heat element adjacentthe first side and along the heat shield to the second stone, and movesalong the second stone and then down the heat shield toward the secondside of the main body and down below the flat panel and the first stone.

In one embodiment, the ledge of the heat shield extends about aperiphery of the upper end of the heat shield and defines an opening toexpose the second stone to the convection heat. In another embodiment,the heat element emanates heat to the underside surface of the flatpanel adjacent the first side to conduct heat directly from the flatpanel to the first stone as the flat panel rotates. In anotherembodiment, the flat panel includes an upper side surface configured tocorrespond substantially with an entire underside surface of the firststone so that the upper side surface of the flat panel directly contactssubstantially the entire underside surface of the first stone. Inanother embodiment, the second stone is configured to radiate heatdownward toward the first stone upon convection heat contacting thesecond stone.

In another embodiment, the heat element is coupled to a heat source, theheat source including at least one of propane gas and natural gas. Inanother embodiment, the shaft of the rotating member includes a notch ata lower end thereof sized and configured to receive the drive shaft ofthe motor. In yet another embodiment, the baking oven further includes aheat cover sized and configured to overlay an upper surface of thesecond stone. In still another embodiment, the baking oven furtherincludes a main cover sized and configured to cover a top side of themain body.

In another embodiment, the baking oven includes a main cover defining atop opening. In another embodiment, the baking oven includes a ductstructure defining the top opening. The duct structure may be sized andconfigured to draw heat from the baking chamber and through the ductstructure. The convection heat may heat the baking chamber side-to-sidetherein and then be channeled around a front periphery of the heatshield and upward toward and through the duct structure.

In another embodiment, the baking oven includes a second heat shieldsized and configured to minimize heat conduction to exposed portions ofthe baking oven. The second heat shield may be positioned between theheat element and the main body of the baking chamber. The second heatshield may include a gap between the second heat shield and the mainbody of the baking oven.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, aportable baking oven for baking a food product is provided. The portablebaking oven includes a main body having a baking chamber therein. Themain body includes a front side, a rear side, a first side and a secondside. The first side and the second side each extend between the frontside and the rear sides. The front side defines an opening to expose thebaking chamber. The baking chamber includes a flat panel configured torotate, a lower stone supported by the flat panel and configured torotate with the flat panel, an upper stone suspended above the lowerstone, and a heat shield. The heat shield includes a wall extendinginward and upward from at least the first side and the second side ofthe main body to a stone support portion such that the stone supportportion is configured to support the upper stone thereon. The portablebaking oven also includes a heat element. The heat element is coupled tothe main body such that the heat element is positioned to emanate heatadjacent the first side of the main body and below the flat panel. Theheat element provides convection heat to move upward from the heatelement adjacent the first side and along the heat shield to the upperstone, and moves along the upper stone and then down the heat shieldtoward the second side of the main body and down below the flat paneland the lower stone.

In another embodiment, the heat element emanates heat to an undersidesurface of the flat panel adjacent the first side to conduct heatdirectly from the flat panel to the lower stone as the flat panelrotates such that the lower stone includes an underside surfacesubstantially entirely in contact with an upper side surface of the flatpanel.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a methodof cooking a food product in a portable baking oven is provided. Themethod includes the steps of providing a first stone positioned on acircular flat panel defining a radius with a second stone suspended on aheat shield above the first stone such that the heat shield extendsradially inward and upward from an inner surface of an upstanding wallof a main body adjacent the first stone to a ledge suspending the secondstone and such that an air-flow gap is defined between the heat shieldand a periphery of the flat panel; rotating the flat panel and the firststone positioned on the flat panel with a motor coupled to a shaftextending from a bottom of the flat panel such that the flat panelrotates about an axis defined by the shaft; heating the first stone andthe second stone from a heat element coupled to the main body byemanating heat from one side portion of the main body, a portion of theheat element positioned a distance from the axis of the shaftcorresponding to about the radius of the flat panel such that convectionheat moves upward below the flat panel and around the periphery of theflat panel adjacent the one side portion of the main body and throughthe air-flow gap along the one side portion of the main body so thatconvection heat moves within the main body toward an opposite sideportion within the main body in a side-to-side manner; and placing thefood product on an upper surface of the first stone.

In one embodiment, the method step of heating includes flowingconvection heat through the air-flow gap and upward along the heatshield to the second stone and between the first and second stone, andcontinues flowing convection heat to move to the opposite side portionof the main body and along the heat shield and downward through theair-flow gap to below the flat panel and the first stone. In anotherembodiment, the method step of heating includes heating an undersidesurface of the flat panel for conducting heat directly from the flatpanel to the lower stone as the flat panel rotates. Further, in stillanother embodiment, the method step of heating includes heating anunderside surface of the flat panel such that the flat panel includes anupper side surface that corresponds with and directly contactssubstantially an entire underside surface of the lower stone such thatthe heating comprises conducting heat directly from the flat panel tothe lower stone as the flat panel rotates. In yet another embodiment,the method step of heating includes radiating heat downward from theupper stone upon the upper stone being heated by convection heat.

In another embodiment, the method step of rotating includes rotating theshaft with a drive shaft vertically extending from the motor and coupledto an end of the shaft. In another embodiment, the method step ofheating includes heating with a heat source including at least one ofpropane gas and natural gas. In another embodiment, the method step ofheating includes rotating air from side-to-side within the main body,not from rear-to-front of the main body, to limit air-flow from exitingan opening defined in a front side of the main body. Further, in anotherembodiment, the method step of rotating includes limiting continualdirect heat emanating from the heat source to a single location at anunderside of the flat panel.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a bakingoven for baking a food product is provided. The baking oven includes amain body, a baking chamber, a motor, and a heat source. The main bodyincludes an upstanding wall extending to a front side portion, a rearside portion, a first side portion, and a second side portion, the firstside portion and the second side portion extending between the frontside portion and the rear side portion, the front side portion definingan opening to insert and access the food product. The baking chamber iswithin the main body and viewable from the opening defined in the mainbody. The baking chamber includes a lower stone, an upper stone, and aheat shield. The lower stone is positioned on a flat panel that definesa periphery and the lower stone includes an upper surface configured toreceive and bake the food product. The flat panel includes a shaft thatdefines a longitudinal axis, the shaft being coupled to an undersidesurface of the flat panel. The upper stone is suspended above the lowerstone. The heat shield extends inward and upward from an inner surfaceof the upstanding wall of at least the first side portion and the secondside portion of the main body. The heat shield includes the upper stonepositioned and suspended on the heat shield and above the lower stone.The heat shield and the periphery of the flat panel define an air flowgap therebetween and adjacent to the first side portion and the secondside portion of the main body. The motor includes a drive shaft, themotor being coupled to the main body and the drive shaft being coupledto the shaft extending from the flat panel. The motor is configured torotate the flat panel and the lower stone about the longitudinal axis ofthe shaft. The heat source is coupled to the main body and is configuredto emanate heat from a location adjacent the first side portion andbelow the flat panel. Further, the heat source provides convection heatthat extends below the flat panel and around the periphery of the flatpanel through the air-flow gap so that convection heat moves upwardadjacent the first side portion and along the heat shield to the upperstone and along a length of the upper stone, and then down an oppositeside adjacent the second side portion and along the heat shield andthrough the air-flow gap of the opposite side to below the flat paneland the lower stone.

In another embodiment, the heat source emanates heat to the undersidesurface of the flat panel adjacent the first side portion to conductheat directly from the flat panel to the lower stone as the flat panelrotates. The lower stone includes an underside surface that issubstantially entirely in contact with an upper side surface of the flatpanel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other advantages of the invention will become apparentupon reading the following detailed description and upon reference tothe drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a baking oven, according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of the baking oven, according toanother embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial bottom perspective view of the baking oven,depicting a shaft extending through an opening of the baking oven,according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of a motor and a shaft of thebaking oven, in a non-coupled position, according to another embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an end portion of a rotating member,depicting the shaft of the rotating member including an adjustablemember, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the baking oven, takenalong section line A of FIG. 1, according to another embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the baking oven, takenalong section line B of FIG. 1, according to another embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 8 is a partial top view of the baking oven without the componentspositioned above a lower stone, depicting a location of a heat elementrelative to the lower stone of the baking oven, according to anotherembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, a baking oven 10 sized and configured tobake a food product 8, such as pizza, or the like, is provided. Such abaking oven 10 includes a main body 12, a lower stone 58 that rotates,an upper stone 60 suspended above the lower stone 58 via a heat shield56, and a heat element 44 positioned below and to one side of therotating lower stone 58. As the heat element 44 emanates heat upward,the rotating lower stone 58 is heated while convection heat moves alongthe heat shield 56 and along a length of the upper stone 60, movingthrough a baking chamber 34 in a side-to-side manner. The convectionheat may then be drawn to move down an opposite side of the heat shield56 to below the lower stone 58 such that the convection heat may then bedrawn to the upward emanating heat provided by the heat element 44 torecirculate the convection heat through the baking oven 10. With thisarrangement, the location of the heat element 44 below the lower stone58 moves convection heat through the baking chamber 34 in a side-to-sidemanner and, further, recirculates the heat through the baking oven 10.In this manner, the baking oven 10 of the present invention may quicklyachieve and maintain the desired temperatures for baking the foodproduct.

The baking oven 10 may be sized and configured to be portable, meaningthat the baking oven 10 may be relatively light-weight, compared totypical ovens, and/or may be readily moveable from one location toanother. Further, the baking oven 10 may be sized and configured to beemployed similar to a backyard type barbeque grill such that the bakingoven 10 may be connected to a typical propane fuel tank or the like andmay include a wheel type base. Such structural characteristics enablethe baking oven in its portability.

With reference to FIG. 1, the baking oven 10 may include the main body12, legs 14, handles 16, a main cover 18, and side shelves 22 or thelike. The main body 12 may include an upstanding side wall 20 to atleast partially define the main body 12. Such upstanding side wall 20may extend over a front side 24, a rear side 26, a first side 28, and asecond side 30 of the main body 12. The first side 28 and the secondside 30 being opposite each other and each extending between the rearside 26 and the front side 24. The first side 28 and the second side 30may include the respective handles 16 as well as the respective sideshelves 22 or the like extending therefrom. The front side 24 may definean opening 32 within the upstanding side wall 20 that exposes a bakingchamber 34. The front side 24 may also include a lower opening 36therein to facilitate access or viewability to various components belowthe baking chamber 34.

Further, the front side 24 may also include various knobs, such as afuel knob 38 and an igniter knob 40. As known to one of ordinary skillin the art, the fuel knob 38 may be coupled to various valves, tubing,and other structural components, such as a heat source 42 or fuel tankconfigured to facilitate and control heating of the baking chamber 34.For example, the fuel knob 38 may be rotated between an off position andan on position to control release of fuel through a heat element 44(FIG. 6) and may be turned from the off position to variable open or onpositions to regulate the amount of fuel to the heat element 44 therein.Further, the igniter knob 40 may be, for example, depressed to ignitethe fuel at the heat element 44 via a typical electrode spark member(not shown) or by employing any other known method.

The main body 12 defined by the upstanding side wall 20 may be partiallytubular with a circular or square/rectangular cross-section. In oneembodiment, the front side 24 of the upstanding side wall 20 may besubstantially flat or planar and each of the first side 28, second side30, and rear side 26 may be a continuous one-piece member having anarcuate configuration to form a partial cylindrical shape or partialcircular cross-sectional shape (see FIG. 7). With this arrangement, thefront side 24 of the upstanding side wall 20 can be fastened to theremaining arcuate portion to form the main body 12. It should be notedthat such main body 12 may include other shapes and configurations aswell, as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Further, each of thesides may also be separate pieces of material fastened together to formthe main body 12.

The main body 12 may also include a bottom side 46 and a top side 48.The bottom side 46 may include various braces or be enclosed (orpartially enclosed) with a panel 47 (FIG. 3) and the top side 48 may beenclosed with the main cover 18. The main cover 18 may be sized andconfigured to fit over the upstanding side wall 20 of the main body 12.Further, the main cover 18 may be completely removable from the mainbody 12 or may be, for example, hingeably coupled to the upstanding sidewall 20. Also, the main cover 18 may partially define the opening 32that leads to the baking chamber 34. The main cover 18 may also includea thermometer 136 configured to provide a temperature reading for theuser to gage a suitable temperature of the baking chamber 34. Typicalreadings from the thermometer 136, once reaching a preferred temperaturewithin the baking chamber 34, may be about 350 degrees Fahrenheit ormore, but such reading may not reflect the actual temperatures withinthe baking chamber 34 due to convection heat only being directedside-to-side within the baking chamber 34 and recirculated within thebaking oven 10, and not out the opening 32. For example, temperatureswithin the baking chamber 34 may range between 600-700 degreesFahrenheit and even range between 500 to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. Inthis manner, the thermometer 136 may act as a gage for the user todetermine a suitable temperature for baking the food product 8.

The bottom side 46 of the main body 12 may include the legs 14, such asfour legs or two sets of legs, extending downward from the main body 12.The legs 14 may also include one or more lower shelves 50 or panelscoupled to the legs 14 to provide additional support to the legs 14.Such legs 14 may also include casters 52 or wheels coupled to two orfour of the legs to further facilitate the portability of the bakingoven 10. The various structural components of the baking oven, such asthe main body 10, main cover 18, legs 14, side shelves 16, and otherstructural components may be formed of various metallic materials, suchas steel, stainless steel, or any other suitable material with hightemperature ratings and be formed from known structural components, suchas sheet metal at various gauges/thicknesses or other known metallicstructures, such as tubing or the like, and may be formed andmanufactured through various known processes in the art, such ascasting, welding, rolling, bending, fastening, etc. Further, structuralcomponents of the baking oven that are exposed to high temperatures maybe formed from suitable materials with high temperature ratings, asknown to one of ordinary skill in the art.

With respect to FIG. 2, a partially exploded view of some of thestructural components of the baking oven 10 is provided to illustrate inwhat manner such components are arranged relative to the main body 12.For example, the main body 12 may be sized and configured to support arotating member 54 and a heat shield 56. The rotating member 54 maysupport a lower stone 58 and the heat shield 56 may support an upperstone 60. The heat shield 56 and upper stone 60 may support or becovered by a heat cover 62 and the main body 12 may receive or becovered by the main cover 18. The lower stone 58 and the upper stone 60may each be a typical flat pizza stone sized and configured for bakingpizza, or other food products, as known by one of ordinary skill in theart.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, as previously set forth, the bakingchamber 34 is accessible through the opening 32 defined in the frontside 24 of the main body 12. The baking chamber 34 may include therotating member 54, the lower stone 58, the upper stone 60, the heatshield 56, and the heat cover 62. Such baking chamber 34 may be definedor bordered/surrounded by the heat shield 56 and the lower and upperstones 58, 60, the other components employed to enhance the utility oreffectiveness of the baking chamber 34, as discussed herein. The bakingchamber 34 may be heated with the heat element 44, via the heat source42, and configured to emanate heat from below the baking chamber 34.

The rotating member 54 may include a flat panel 64 and a shaft 66 madeof a metallic material, such as steel or any other suitable materialthat has a high temperature rating. The shaft 66 extending from anunderside surface 68 of the flat panel 64. The flat panel 64 may besubstantially planar with a lip 70 extending upward from a topsidesurface 72 and along a periphery 74 of the flat panel 64. Such topsidesurface 72 of the flat panel 64 may be configured to support andposition the lower stone 58 thereon. The lip 70 of the flat panel 64 maybe configured to maintain and engage a periphery of the lower stone 58so as to substantially prevent the lower stone 58 from moving or slidingfrom the topside surface 72 of the flat panel 64. Further, the lowerstone 58 may be a disc-like shape with a top surface 100 and bottomsurface 102 both being planar such that the bottom surface 102 of thelower stone 58, in whole or its substantial entirety, is in directcontact with the topside surface 72 of the flat panel 64. The shaft 66of the rotating member 54 may extend from the underside surface 68 ofthe flat panel 64 and may define an axis 76 along a longitudinal lengthof the shaft 66. The shaft 66 and the flat panel 64 may be configured torotate, as indicated by arrow 78, within the main body 12 and about theaxis 76.

The heat shield 56 may be sized and configured to suspend and hold theupper stone 60 above the lower stone 58 at a height 80. Such height 80may be about five inches that may range between about four and sixinches and also may range between about four and nine inches. The heatshield 56 may be configured to funnel and control convection heat withinthe baking chamber 34. Further, the heat shield 56 may provide aseparation between the baking chamber 34 and the main body 12 tominimize high temperatures to the main body 12, thereby, limitingpotential burn risk to users of the baking oven 10.

The heat shield 56 may extend upward and inward from a lower end 82 toan upper end 84, the lower end 82 positioned adjacent or against theupstanding side wall 20 of the main body 12 and the upper end 84including a ledge 86 to support and hold the upper stone 60. The upperend 84 and ledge 86 of the heat shield 56 may extend to define a shieldopening 88 therein such that, upon the upper stone 60 being positionedon the heat shield 56, a bottom surface 90 of the upper stone 60 issubstantially exposed in the baking chamber 34. The lower end 82 of theheat shield 56 may extend from at least the first side 28 and the secondside 30 of the main body 12. In another embodiment, the heat shield 56may extend from the first and second sides 28, 30 and the rear side 26of the main body 12 such that the lower end 82 of the heat shield 56corresponds with and abuts against the upstanding sidewall 20 of themain body 12. In another embodiment, the heat shield 56 may radiallyextend upward and inward between the lower end 82 and the upper end 84in a partial cone configuration, extending upward and inward from thefirst side 28, second side 30, and the rear side 26 of the main body 12.

Further, the heat shield 56 (or upstanding sidewall 20 of the main body12) and the periphery 74 of the flat panel 64 may define an air-flow gap92 therebetween (see also FIG. 8). Such air-flow gap 92 may beconfigured to flow convection heat therethrough such that the flat panel64 includes a diameter 94 that is less than a distance 96 between theupstanding wall 20 of the first side 28 and the second side 30 of themain body 12 to provide the air-flow gap 92. Similarly, the diameter 94of the flat panel 64 may be less than a distance between opposite sidesof the lower end 82 of the heat shield 56 extending from the first andsecond sides 28, 30 of the main body 12.

The heat shield 56 may extend from or be supported by side wallextensions 98 coupled to the upstanding side wall 20. In one embodiment,the side wall extensions 98 may be positioned on the first and secondsides 28, 30 of the main body 12 such that the lower end 82 of the heatshield 56 may be positioned about level with a plane of the flat panel64. In another embodiment, side wall extensions 98 a (as shown inoutline in FIG. 6) may be positioned on the first and second sides 28,30 of the main body 12 so that the lower end 82 of the heat shield 56may be positioned below the plane of the flat panel 64. In anotherembodiment, side wall extensions 98 b (as shown in outline in FIG. 6)may be positioned on the first and second sides 28, 30 of the main body12 so that the lower end 82 of the heat shield 56 is positioned abovethe plane of the flat panel 64. Such side wall extensions 98 may also bepositioned on the rear side 26 of the main body 12.

With reference to FIGS. 6-8, in another embodiment, the main body 28 mayinclude a second heat shield 150 sized and configured to shield heatfrom conducting to the outer portions of the bake oven 10, such as tothe handles 16 (FIG. 1). The second heat shield 150 may be secured withbrackets or the like to the main body 28 adjacent to the heat element 44and below heat shield 56 and the lower stone 58. The second heat shield150 may be positioned to the main body 28 with a gap 152 definedtherebetween such that the second heat shield 150 is substantiallyseparated (but for the securing structure for attaching the second heatshield 150) from the main body 28. In this manner, the second heatshield 150 may be positioned adjacent the heat element 44 to minimizeheat from conducting to outer surfaces of the bake oven 10, such as tothe handles 16 of the bake oven 10.

With continued reference to FIGS. 6-8, the air-flow gap 92 may include adistance 93, measured between the periphery 74 of the flat panel 64 andthe lower end 82 of the heat shield 56 on both the first and secondsides 28, 30 of the baking oven 10, of about one inch and may rangebetween a half inch and up to about three inches. Although notproportionately shown in the simplified drawings, a gap distance 95defined between the heat shield 56 and the periphery 74 of the flatpanel 64 on the rear side 26 of the main body 12 may be narrower thanthe air-flow gap 92 with a range between about a quarter inch to a halfinch. The gap distance 95 on the rear side 26 is preferably minimized topromote the convection heat to be directed side-to-side through theair-flow gaps 92 within the baking chamber 34 and to be recirculatedwithin the baking chamber 34 to minimize heat loss and maintain hightemperatures within the baking oven 10, as set forth herein.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 6, and 7, the heat cover 62 may be sized andconfigured to be positioned to lay over the upper stone 60 and a portionof the heat shield 56. Further, the heat cover 62 may be configured tocontain and channel heat relative to the baking chamber so that theupper stone 60 may primarily radiate heat downward from the exposedbottom surface 90 of the upper stone 60. The heat cover 62 may includean upper surface 104 and lower surface 106 with a downward extendingextension 108 along a periphery of the heat cover 62. Such periphery ofthe heat cover 62 may be slightly larger than a periphery of the upperend 84 of the heat shield 56 so that the heat cover maintains itsposition over the upper stone 60. The heat cover 62 may be made from ametallic material, such as aluminum or steel, or any other suitablematerial, sized and configured to facilitate the upper stone 60 tomaintain heat therein and radiate heat downward from the exposed bottomsurface 90.

Now with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, the shaft 66 of the rotatingmember 54 may be coupled to a drive shaft 110 of a motor 112 such thatthe axis 76 of the shaft 66 aligns with a drive shaft axis of the driveshaft 110. In one embodiment, the shaft 66 may extend through a hole 146defined in the bottom side 46 of the main body 12 to a motor bracket114, the motor bracket 114 being coupled to the main body 12. The bottomside may include a bearing portion 148 including a ball bearingarrangement (not shown) sized and configured to limit friction andfacilitate smooth rotation of the rotating member.

The motor bracket 114 may include a tongue 116 defining a tongue opening118 therein. The tongue opening 118 may be sized and configured toreceive the drive shaft 110 and be aligned with the shaft 66. The motor112 may include two rail brackets 120 sized and configured to couple tothe tongue 116 such that outer sides of the tongue 116 slide between therail brackets 120 to position and couple the motor 112 to the motorbracket 114. Once the motor 112 is positioned and coupled to the motorbracket 114, the drive shaft 110 extends upward through the tongueopening 118 and couples to the shaft 66. In one embodiment, a bottom endof the shaft 66 may include a notch 122 defined therein and sized toreceive and correspond with the external surface/structure of the driveshaft 110. For example, the drive shaft 110 may include one or more flatsurfaces to correspond with the notch 122 defined in the shaft 66 toenable engagement and facilitate driving rotation of the shaft 66. Inone embodiment, the drive shaft 110 may include at least four flatsurfaces so as to exhibit a square shape as a cross-section taken alonga section line transverse to the drive shaft axis. With thisarrangement, the motor 112 can rotate the rotating member 54 about theaxis 76 of the shaft 66. The motor may be battery powered or may beconnected to a power source, as known in the art.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the shaft 66 of the rotating member 54may include an adjustable member 138. The adjustable member 138 may besized and configured to adjust a height of the rotating member 54 or,more specifically, adjust the height 80 between the lower stone 58 andto the upper stone 60. The adjustable member 138 may include a sleeve140 with a set screw 142 extending therethrough. The set screw 142 maybe configured to be loosened to adjust a position of the sleeve 140 onthe shaft 66 and then tightened to maintain the position of the sleeve140 on the shaft 66. The adjustable member 138 may be located on theshaft 66 at a position that facilitates the shaft 66 to mate with thedrive shaft 110 of the motor 112. The adjustable member 138 may belocated at various positions along the shaft 66 so long as the driveshaft 110 can mate with the shaft 66 of the rotating member 54. Forexample, the adjustable member 138 may be adjusted to a lower position,than that which is depicted, to raise the rotating member 54 and toeffectively adjust the height 80 between the lower stone 58 and theupper stone 60 within the baking chamber 34.

Referring again to FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, the location for emanating heatfrom the heat element 44 below the baking chamber 34 in the main body 12of the baking oven 10 is depicted. The baking oven 10 may include across-member 124 or seat extending between the first side 28 and thesecond side 30 of the main body 12 below the flat panel 64 of therotating member 54 such that the cross-member 124 may be centered underthe flat panel 64 so that the shaft 66 extends through a hole 126defined in the cross-member 124. Further, the cross-member 124 mayextend between the first side 28 and second side 30 of the main body 12.In another embodiment, the cross-member may extend substantiallyparallel with the front side 24 of the main body 12. Such cross-member124 or seat may include the location for the heat element 44 coupled tothe heat source 42 (FIG. 1) for emanating heat therefrom. For example,the heat element 44 may be positioned adjacent the first side 28 (or thesecond side 30) of the main body 12 directly on the cross-member 124.The position of the heat element 44 along the cross-member 124 may be adistance 128 from the axis 76 of the shaft 66 to a central axis of theheat element 44 that corresponds to about a radial distance 130 orradius of the flat panel 64 such that the heat element 44 is positionedabout directly below the periphery 74 of the flat panel 64 adjacent thefirst side 28 or the second side 30 of the main body 12. In this mannerheat may emanate upward from the heat element 44 along the first side 28(or the second side 30) of the main body 12 and below the flat panel 64and move upward through the air-flow gap 92.

In another embodiment, the location of the heat element 44 may extendcloser to the first side 28 of the main body, as indicated by dottedline 129. In another embodiment, the heat element 44 may include anelongated or oval shape such that the effective distance 128 of the heatelement 44 may be located relatively closer to the first side 28 of themain body 18. Importantly, the heat element 44 is positioned adjacentone of the first and second sides 28, 30 of the main body 12 such thatthe heat element 44 emanates heat upward to a portion of the undersidesurface 68 of the flat panel 64 and through the air-flow gap 92. Inother words, the heat element 44 may be located and positioned solelyadjacent to one of the first side 28 and second side 30 of the main body12 (specifically excluding being adjacent the rear side 26 and the frontside 24 of the main body 12). The heat element 44 may be a burner madefrom cast iron and may include various configurations, such as circular,oval, u-shaped, or any other suitable configuration to facilitateemanating heat to the flat panel 64 and through the air-flow gap 92 ofone of the first and second sides 28, 30 of the main body 12.

As previously set forth, the flat panel 64 includes the lower stone 58positioned thereon, the lower stone 58 rotating with the flat panel 64via the motor 112 coupled to the shaft 66. As such, heat emanating fromthe heat element 44 provides heat directly to the underside surface 68of the flat panel 64 before moving upward through the air-flow gap 92.As the flat panel 64 is heated by the heat element 44, conduction heatmoves directly from the flat panel 64 to the lower stone 58 sincesurfaces of the flat panel and lower stone substantially correspond witheach other, e.g., planar surfaces. Due to rotation of the flat panel 64and lower stone 58 and the heat emanating only at one side of theunderside surface 68 of the flat panel 64, the heating of the lowerstone 58 is controlled and minimized to substantially prevent “hotspots” so that the food product 8 does not burn on the lower stone 58.

The upper stone 60 may be primarily heated by convection heat, asdepicted by arrow 132, moving upward from the air-flow gap 92 and alongthe heat shield 56 and then across a length of the upper stone 60, thelength being similar to the diameter 94 of the lower stone 58. Further,as depicted by arrow 132, the convection heat moves downward along theheat shield 56 and through the air flow gap 92 on an opposite side,adjacent the second side 30, from where the convection heat entered thebaking chamber 34. The convection heat may continue under the flat panel64 and be drawn toward the heating element 44 and move upward again withthe convection heat emanating upward through the original air-flow gap92. With this arrangement, the convection heat may move through thebaking chamber 34 in a side-to-side manner and continue to move underthe flat panel 64 such that the convection heat recirculates through thesystem (essentially moving around the flat panel) in a rotationalmanner, thereby, minimizing heat loss. In addition, upon the upper stone60 being heated by the convection heat, the upper stone 60 providesradiation heat directed downward to the food product 8 positioned on thelower stone 58. Further, this arrangement minimizes the loss ofconvection heat through the opening 32 of the baking chamber 34 byre-circulating or rotating through the baking oven 10 in theside-to-side manner (first side 28 to second side 30, not rear side 26to front side 24) or rotational manner, as indicated by arrows 132.

With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, in another embodiment, the main cover18 may include a flue or duct structure 160 formed therein to define atop opening 162 to facilitate drawing convection heat through the maincover 18. The flue or duct structure 160 may be tubular or the like. Inone embodiment, the duct structure 160 may include a swingable flap thatmay readily be moved between closed, open, and partially open positions.In another embodiment, the duct structure 160 may be a simple opening orvents at the top of the main cover 18. With this duct structure 160, theconvection heat may flow from the heat element 44 into the bakingchamber 34 and flow from, for example, one side to the other side (notrear to front) of the baking chamber 34 in a side-to-side manner,similar to that previously set forth. The convection heat, as shown withdotted arrow 164, may then flow around a front periphery 166 of the heatshield 56 and upward through a lateral cover gap 168 defined between theheat cover 62 and the main cover 18. Such lateral cover gap 168 may bedefined around the entire extent of the heat cover 62 and the main cover18. Further, a front lip of the main cover that defines the opening 32of the baking chamber 34 may extend downward below an elevation of theupper stone 60. Such front lip may further assist in drawing anyconvection heat to flow around the front periphery 166 of the heatshield 56 and upward through the lateral cover gap 168. The convectionheat may then flow into a cover space 170 between an upper surface 104of the heat cover 62 and the main cover 18 and then through the ductstructure 160 and out the top opening 162 of the baking oven 10. Withthis arrangement, the convection heat may be channeled to providemaximum heating within the baking chamber 34 by flowing side-to-sidetherein (similar to the previous embodiment), and then channeled throughthe upper regions of the baking oven 10 and out the duct structure 160.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, description of cooking a food product 8 inthe baking oven 10 of the present invention will now be provided.Initially, the motor 112 should be switched on so that the drive shaft66 can rotate the rotating member 54, as indicated by rotational arrow78. Also, the appropriate valve of the fuel source 42 should be moved toan open position, after which, the fuel knob 38 may be rotated to anopen position. The fuel element 44 may then be ignited by simplydepressing the igniter knob 40 or, otherwise, employing a match or thelike adjacent the fuel element 44. Once the fuel element 44 has ignited,flames or emanating heat from the fuel element 44 extend upwardtherefrom and may directly contact the underside surface 68 of the flatpanel 64, as the flat panel 64 rotates, and may also extend upwardthrough the air flow gap 92 adjacent, for example, the first side 28 ofthe main body 12. The air within the baking chamber will become heatedand, due to the unique arrangement and sizing of the elements within thebaking chamber 34, the convection heat will move within the bakingchamber in a side-to-side manner or rotational manner, as indicted byarrows 132, initially moving upward from the air-flow gap 92 adjacentthe first side 28 of the baking chamber 34 and along the heat shield 56,across a length of the upper stone 60 to an opposite side of the bakingchamber 34, and then downward along the heat shield 56 and through theopposite side of the air-flow gap 92 adjacent the second side 30 of themain body 12. The convection heat may re-circulate as the convectionheat is drawn across the main body 12 under the flat panel 64 toward theupward extending emanating heat from the heating element 44.Alternatively, as previously set forth, the convection heat may heat thebaking chamber 34 by flowing side-to-side therein (as shown by arrow 132within the baking chamber 34) and then the convection heat may bechanneled toward the upper regions of the baking oven 10 and out theduct structure 160, as shown by dotted arrow 164. In a relatively shortperiod of time, e.g., as quick as ten minutes, the baking oven will besufficiently heated for baking a food product 8, such as pizza or thelike. The user can view the thermometer to gage a suitable temperature.

The food product 8 may then be placed and positioned directly onto thetop surface 100 of the lower stone 58. With this arrangement, theemanating heat from the heat element 44 heats the underside surface 68of the flat panel 64, moving conduction heat directly from the flatpanel 64 to the lower stone 58 for heating and baking the food product 8on the lower stone 58. Further, the emanating heat from the heat element44 flows through the air-flow gap 92 on, for example, the first side 28to provide convection heat, as indicated by arrow 132, directly to theupper stone 60, the convection heat moving through the baking chamber 34in the side-to-side manner or through the main body 12 in are-circulating rotational manner, as previously set forth. The heatedupper stone 60, suspended above the food product 8, provides radiationheat downward from the upper stone 60 to heat and bake the food product8. In this manner, the radiation heat from the upper stone 60 and theconvection heat moving through the baking chamber 34 may cook an upperside of the food product 8. The cook or user may visually determine whenthe food product is cooked to his or her liking, typically taking abouttwo to four minutes, dependent upon the level of heat the user mayemploy on the baking chamber.

Although the disclosure herein has been directed to cooking a foodproduct, such as pizza or the like, other food products may readily beemployed in the baking oven of the present invention. For example, it isalso contemplated that the lower stone may receive a grill like member(not shown) to cook other types of food products, such as steaks or thelike. As set forth herein, the unique structural arrangement of thebaking oven readily facilitates obtaining and maintaining hightemperatures within the baking oven. As such, cooking other types offood products within the baking oven may readily be employed.

While the invention may be susceptible to various modifications andalternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way ofexample in the drawings and have been described in detail herein.Further, the structural features of any one embodiment disclosed hereinmay be combined or replaced by any one of the structural features ofanother embodiment set forth herein. However, it should be understoodthat the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular formsdisclosed. Rather, the invention includes all modifications,equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined by the following appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A baking oven for baking a food product,comprising: a main body including one or more walls to define a frontside, a rear side, a first side, a second side, and an upper side of themain body, the front side defining a front access opening to a bakingchamber within the main body; a heat shield including an upper portionand a lower portion, the upper portion extending to define a ledge, thelower portion having a side wall extending between an upper end and alower end, the upper end extending from the ledge and the lower endpositionable to extend along the first side, the rear side and thesecond side of the main body such that the side wall extendscontinuously therealong so as to act as a barrier between the bakingchamber and the main body; a first stone and a second stone defining abottom surface and an upper surface of the baking chamber, respectively,the first stone configured to receive the food product thereon and thesecond stone configured to be positioned over the ledge of the heatshield to be suspended above the first stone; and a heat element coupledto the main body, the heat element configured to be positioned toemanate heat from below the first stone such that heat moves upward fromthe heat element to heat the first stone, and moves upward along aninner surface of the side wall of the heat shield toward the secondstone to heat the second stone.
 2. The baking oven of claim 1, furthercomprising a rotating member and a motor, the rotating member includinga flat panel and a shaft, the flat panel configured to support the firststone thereon, the shaft extending from an underside surface of the flatpanel and defining an axis along a longitudinal length thereof, themotor coupled to the main body and the shaft of the rotating member suchthat the motor is configured to rotate the rotating member about theaxis of the shaft.
 3. The baking oven of claim 2, wherein the heatelement emanates heat directly to the underside surface of the flatpanel to conduct heat directly from the flat panel to the first stone asthe flat panel rotates.
 4. The baking oven of claim 1, wherein the ledgeof the heat shield extends to define a shield opening such that theshield opening is sized to directly expose the second stone to heat thesecond stone in the baking chamber.
 5. The baking oven of claim 1,wherein the ledge extends to define an inner periphery of the upperportion of the heat shield such that the inner periphery is sized todirectly expose the second stone to heat the second stone in the bakingchamber.
 6. The baking oven of claim 1, wherein the heat element iscoupled to a heat source, the heat source including at least one ofpropane gas and natural gas.
 7. The baking oven of claim 1, wherein thesecond stone is configured to radiate heat downward toward the firststone upon convection heat heating the second stone.
 8. The baking ovenof claim 1, further comprising a heat cover sized and configured to bepositioned over an upper side surface of the second stone.
 9. The bakingoven of claim 1, wherein the upper side of the main body comprises amain cover sized and configured to be positioned over the one or morewalls of the first side, the second side, and the rear side of the mainbody.
 10. A baking oven for baking a food product, comprising: a mainbody including one or more walls to define a front side, a rear side, afirst side, a second side, and an upper side of the main body, the frontside defining a front access opening to a baking chamber within the mainbody, the baking chamber including: a lower stone operatively supportedby the main body and configured to receive the food product thereon; anupper stone suspended above the lower stone; and a heat shield includingan upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion extending todefine a ledge sized and configured to support the upper stone, thelower portion having a side wall extending between an upper end and alower end, the upper end extending from the ledge and the lower endpositionable to extend along the first side, the rear side and thesecond side of the main body such that the side wall extendscontinuously to act as a barrier between the baking chamber and the mainbody; and a heat element coupled to the main body, the heat elementconfigured to be positioned to emanate heat from below the lower stonesuch that heat moves upward from the heat element to heat the lowerstone, and moves upward along an inner surface of the side wall of theheat shield toward the upper stone to heat the upper stone.
 11. Thebaking oven of claim 10, further comprising a flat panel configured torotate, the flat panel operatively coupled to the main body andconfigured to support the lower stone thereon.
 12. The baking oven ofclaim 11, wherein the heat element emanates heat directly to anunderside surface of the flat panel to conduct heat directly from theflat panel to the lower stone as the flat panel rotates.
 13. The bakingoven of claim 10, wherein the ledge of the heat shield extends to definean inner periphery of the upper portion of the heat shield such that theinner periphery is sized to directly expose the upper stone to heat theupper stone in the baking chamber.
 14. The baking oven of claim 10,further comprising a heat cover sized and configured to be positionedover an upper side surface of the upper stone.
 15. The baking oven ofclaim 10, wherein the upper side of the main body comprises a main coversized and configured to be positioned over the one or more walls of thefirst side, the second side, and the rear side of the main body.
 16. Abaking oven for baking a food product, comprising: a main body includingone or more walls to define a front side, a rear side, a first side, asecond side, and an upper side of the main body, the front side defininga front access opening to a baking chamber within the main body, thebaking chamber including: a lower stone positioned on a supportstructure operatively coupled to the main body, the support structurehaving a periphery extending to define a gap between the periphery andthe one or more walls of the main body, the lower stone configured toreceive the food product thereon; an upper stone suspended above thelower stone; and a heat shield including an upper portion and a lowerportion, the upper portion extending to define a ledge sized andconfigured to support the upper stone, the lower portion having a sidewall extending from the ledge to a lower end, the lower end of the heatshield positioned adjacent the gap so as to extend along the first side,the rear side and the second side of the main body such that the sidewall extends continuously to act as a barrier between the baking chamberand the main body; and a heat element coupled to the main body, the heatelement configured to be positioned to emanate heat below the supportstructure so that heat moves through the gap and into the bakingchamber.
 17. The baking oven of claim 16, wherein the support structurecomprises a flat panel, the flat panel coupled to a shaft so that theshaft extends from an underside surface of the flat panel and defines anaxis along a longitudinal length of the shaft, the shaft coupled to amotor such that the motor is configured to rotate the shaft and the flatpanel about the axis of the shaft.
 18. The baking oven of claim 16,wherein the ledge of the heat shield extends to define an innerperiphery of the upper portion of the heat shield such that the innerperiphery is sized to directly expose the upper stone to heat the upperstone in the baking chamber.
 19. The baking oven of claim 16, furthercomprising a heat cover sized and configured to be positioned over anupper side surface of the upper stone.
 20. The baking oven of claim 16,wherein the upper side of the main body comprises a main cover sized andconfigured to be positioned over the one or more walls of the firstside, the second side, and the rear side of the main body.